7 June 2002

SIR REG ANNOUNCES FINAL APPOINTMENTS TO INVEST NORTHERN IRELAND BOARD

Sir Reg Empey, MLA, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, announced this morning the name of a further and final appointment to the Board of Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI), the new economic development agency, which came into existence in April 2002.

Mr Stephen Kingon, who is currently Managing Partner with Pricewaterhouse Coopers, joins the existing Board members previously announced by the Minister.

This appointment completes the Board, which now has a total of 16 members, including Professor Fabian Monds, the Invest Northern Ireland Chairman.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Stephen Kingon: Stephen Kingon is the Northern Ireland managing partner of professional advisors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

He was educated at Queen’s University Belfast and subsequently qualified as a chartered accountant, specialising in management consultancy. He is currently Chairman of the Centre for Competitiveness and represents the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the Economic Development Forum.

He is a past-Chairman of the Ulster Society of Chartered Accountants and of Business in the Community in Northern Ireland. He is also past-President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Institute of Management Consultancy in Northern Ireland.

Mr Kingon, like the other Board members, will receive £10,000 per annum. He has not carried out any significant political activity in the last five years.

NOTE: It was not possible for Mr Kingon’s appointment in April, along with the other members, as he wished to consult within PwC before accepting a public appointment of this nature.

The other members of the Board are:

Professor Fabian Monds, Chairman

Mrs Rotha Johnston, Deputy Chairman

Mr Frank Bunting

Mrs Deborah Boyd

Professor Robert (Roy) Crawford

Professor Bernie Hannigan

Dr Patrick Haren

Miss Debra Jenkins

Mr Owen Lamont

Mr Gilbert Little

Dr Alan McClure

Mr Bill McGinnis

Mrs Rosemary Peters-Gallagher

Mr Derek Shaw

Mrs Teresa Townsley

Invest Northern Ireland is set up under the Industrial Development Act (Northern Ireland) 2002, which came into operation on 1 April 2002. It is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. Its Chief Executive is Mr Leslie Morrison.

For further information, please contact the DETI Press Office on 028 9052 9604 or email: pressoffice@detini.gov.uk

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